User blog:Ugra Murda Kurma/Lord Nous
Nous (British: /ˈnaʊs/;[1] US: /ˈnuːs/), sometimes equated to intellect or intelligence, is a philosophical term for the faculty of the human mind which is described in classical philosophy as necessary for understanding what is true or real. The three commonly used philosophical terms are from Greek, νοῦς or νόος, and Latin intellectus and intelligentia respectively. To describe the activity of this faculty, apart from verbs based on "understanding", the word "intellection" is sometimes used in philosophical contexts, and the Greek words noēsis and noein are sometimes also used. This activity is understood in a similar way, at least in some contexts, to the modern concept intuition. In philosophy, common English translations include "understanding" and "mind"; or sometimes "thought" or "reason" (in the sense of that which reasons, not the activity of reasoning).[2][3] It is also often described as something equivalent toperception except that it works within the mind ("the mind's eye").[4] It has been suggested that the basic meaning is something like "awareness".[5] In colloquial British English, nous also denotes "good sense", which is close to one everyday meaning it had in Ancient Greece. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ptolemaicsystem-small.pngThis diagram shows the medieval understanding of spheres of the cosmos, derived from Aristotle, and as per the standard explanation by Ptolemy. It came to be understood that at least the outermost sphere (marked "Primũ Mobile") has its own intellect, intelligence or nous - a cosmic equivalent to the human mind. In Aristotle's influential works, the term was carefully distinguished from sense perception, imagination and reason, although these terms are closely inter-related. The term was apparently already singled out by earlier philosophers such asParmenides, whose works are largely lost. In post-Aristotelian discussions, the exact boundaries between perception, understanding of perception, and reasoning have not always agreed with the definitions of Aristotle, even though his terminology remains influential. In the Aristotelian scheme, nous is the basic understanding or awareness which allows human beings to think rationally. For Aristotle, this was distinct from the processing of sensory perception, including the use of imagination and memory, which other animals can do. This therefore connects discussion of nous, to discussion of how the human mind sets definitions in a consistent and communicable way, and whether people must be born with some innate potential to understand the sameuniversal categories the same logical ways. Deriving from this it was also sometimes argued, especially in classical and medieval philosophy, that the individual nous must require help of a spiritual and divine type. By this type of account, it came to be argued that the human understanding (nous) somehow stems from this cosmic nous, which is however not just a recipient of order, but a creator of it. Such explanations were influential in the development of medieval accounts of God, the immortality of the soul, and even the motions of the stars, in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, amongst both eclectic philosophers and authors representing all the major faiths of their times. In Abrahamic religions, Noah (/ˈnoʊ.ə/[1]), or Noé or Noach (Hebrew: נֹחַ,‎ נוֹחַ,Modern Noaẖ, Tiberian Nōăḥ; Syriac: ܢܘܚ Nukh; Arabic: نُوح‎ Nūḥ; Ancient Greek: Νῶε), was the tenth and last of the pre-flood Patriarchs. The story of Noah's Ark is told in the Torah in the Genesis flood narrative. The biblical account is followed by the story of the curse of Canaan. Besides the Book of Genesis, Noah is also mentioned in 1st Chronicles, Tobit, Wisdom, Sirach, Isaiah, Ezekiel, the Gospel of Matthew, theGospel of Luke, the Epistle to the Hebrews, 1st Peter, and 2nd Peter. He was the subject of much elaboration in the literature of later Abrahamic religions, including the Quran (Sura 71). In Hinduism, Prajapati (Sanskrit: प्रजापति (IAST: prajā-pati)) "lord of people" is a group Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protection of life, thereby a King of Kings. Vedic commentators also identify him with the creator referred to in the[1] Nasadiya Sukta. According to later beliefs in the post-Vedic Era, the Prajapaties were elected democratically. Lord Vishnu was first elected democratically/unanimously as Prajapati (in the North of Aryavarta or Bharta) by all the Rishis and subjects of that era and sat on the throne of Prajapati. Thereafter, Lord Bràhma was elected as Prajapati (in the west of Aryavrat or Bharta), after which Lord Shankar (in the South of Aryavrat or Bharta) or Rudras were elected as Prajapaties. The throne of Prajapati succeeded further and there were about 26 Prajapaties, as mentioned in the Vedas. Prajapati is a Vedic deity presiding over procreation, and the protection of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme godvishvakarman above the other Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature. Vedic commentators also identify him with the creator referred to in the Nasadiya Sukta. In later times, he is identified with Vishnu, Shiva, with the personifications of Time, Fire, the Sun, etc. He is also identified with various mythical progenitors, especially (Manu Smrti 1.34) the ten lords of created beings first created by Brahmā, the Prajapatis Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha, Prachetas or Daksha, Bhrigu, Nārada. The Mahabharata mentions, in the words of celestial sage Narada, 14 Prajapatis (lit:caretakers of the Praja) Hiranyagarbha is the source of the creation of the Universe or the manifested cosmos in Indian philosophy, it finds mention in one hymn of the Rigveda (RV 10.121), known as the 'Hiranyagarbha sukta' and presents an important glimpse of the emerging monism, or even monotheism, in the later Vedic period, along with the Nasadiya sukta suggesting a single creator deity predating all other gods (verse 8: yó devéṣv ádhi devá éka âsīt, Griffith: "He is the God of gods, and none beside him."), in the hymn identified as Prajapati. The Upanishads calls it the Soul of the Universe or Brahman, and elaborates that Hiranyagarbha floated around in emptiness and the darkness of the non-existence for about a year, and then broke into two halves which formed the Swarga and the Prithvi. In classical Puranic Hinduism, Hiranyagarbha is a name of Brahma, so called because he was born from a golden egg (Manusmrti 1.9), while the Mahabharata calls it the Manifest. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.8.16 cites Vishvakarman as the leader of the prajāpatis, the sons of Lord Brahmā who generate progeny.[2] The eleven lords of created beings first created by Brahmā, which are the Prajapatis: #Vishvakarman[3] #Marichi #Atri #Angiras #Pulastya, #Pulaha, #Kratu, #Vasishtha #Prachetas or Daksha #Bhrigu #Nārada The Mahabharata mentions, in the words of celestial sage Narada, 14 Prajapatis (lit:caretakers of the Praja) excludingVishvakarman namely: #Daksha, #Prachetas, #Pulaha, #Marichi, #Kasyapa, #Bhrigu, #Atri, #Vasistha, #Gautama, #Angiras, #Pulastya, #Kratu, #Prahlada and #Kardama They are the caretakers of the fourteen worlds - seven lokas and seven talas.[4] Category:Blog posts